Montagu Porch

Montagu Phippen Porch was born on 15 March 1877 in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. He was the younger son of Reginald Porch (1838–1886), who was affiliated with the Bengal Civil Service, and his mother was Ann Rebecca (1847–1932), a daughter of James Austin of The Abbey, Glastonbury. Porch's paternal grandfather was Thomas Porch Porch, JP, of Edgarley, located near Glastonbury.

In 1886, Porch's father died at Puri in British India, leaving an estate valued at £5,212. Montagu Porch was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford. During his time at Oxford, in 1900, he joined the Imperial Yeomanry, a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and served as a trooper during the South African War. After his military service, he returned to Oxford and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1902 and a Master of Arts in 1904.

In 1906, Porch entered the Colonial Service in Nigeria. He served in various capacities within the colonial administration, notably as Assistant Resident in Zaria in 1910. He continued his service in Africa until 1919. In 1918, upon his marriage, Porch resigned from the colonial service.

On 1 June 1918, Porch married Lady Randolph Churchill (Jennie Jerome), the American-born mother of Winston Churchill. Jennie was 64 years old at the time, and Porch was 41, making their marriage notable for a substantial age difference. This was Jennie's third marriage and Porch's first. Their marriage lasted until Jennie's death in 1921. During their marriage, Porch became Winston Churchill's stepfather, although he was three years his junior.

Following Jennie's death, her sister Leonie Leslie remarked on the financial difficulties Jennie faced in her later years, noting that while Winston wept publicly, it was Jack (Winston's brother) and Porch who were responsible for settling her debts, which exceeded the regular payments Porch was providing.

After Jennie's death, Porch returned to West Africa, where he engaged in various investments that proved to be successful. In 1926, he remarried, this time to Donna Giulia Patrizi, the only daughter of the Marchese Patrizi della Rocco. Porch and his second wife lived in Italy until her death in 1938.

Following her passing, Porch returned to Glastonbury. He continued to live there until his death on 8 November 1964, aged 87. Throughout his later life, he maintained a private stance regarding his marriage to Jennie Churchill and avoided discussions about their relationship.

Montagu Porch's life encompassed military service, colonial administration, and international residence, with significant familial connections to notable British and American families.

**References**

*(References are implied from the original content but are not explicitly listed here.)*

**External Links**

* "The once-eminent Porch family of Glastonbury."